Alexandria lawyer Ed Tarpley is leading a bipartisian coalition that will educate voters on why they should support requiring unanimous jury verdicts in felony criminal cases. Matt Doyle reports the issue will appear before voters on the November 6th ballot.
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

The National Flood Insurance Program is set to expire at midnight tonight, but the US Senate is planning to vote today on extending the N-F-I-P for another four months.

A Farmerville woman is dead after falling out the window of a moving truck. Union Parish Sheriff Dusty Gates says 22-year-old Bridget Tucker was pronounced dead at the scene on Saturday. Gates says the vehicle was traveling around 35-40 miles per hour.
Cut 10 (12) “…and fell out.”
21-year-old Dustin Hines of Marion was the driver and he’s been charged with vehicular homicide and obstruction of justice.

The Louisiana Department of Education has named Spencer Kiper as the 2019 Louisiana Teacher of the Year. Kiper teaches STEM classes at Elm Grove Middle School in Bossier Parish….
cut 16 (10) “…do with it”
Doctor Eric Davis at Wossman High School in Monroe has been named the Principal of the Year.

A statewide coalition has been formed to educate voters about constitutional amendment number two on the November sixth ballot. It would require that felony convictions must be reached with a unanimous jury, instead of the current standard that requires 10 of 12 jurists to agree on a guilty verdict. Alexandria attorney Ed Tarpley is leading the effort….
cut 5 (12) “…the constitution”
No major organizations have announced their opposition to the amendment.

Union Parish Sheriff Dusty Gates says 22-year-old Bridget Tucker died after falling out of the window of a vehicle traveling around 35 to 40 miles per hour. Gates says the driver of the vehicle has been arrested…
cut 11 (07) “….obstruction of justice”
Gates says they believe alcohol was a factor.

Looking for a temporary escape from Louisiana city life? State Parks has some good news for those who like to explore the great outdoors, but don’t want to fiddle with setting up a tent.
Cut 2 (30) ”I’m Matt Doyle”

There’s now a reward of 25-thousand dollars for information that leads to the conviction of the gunmen responsible for Saturday’s mass shooting in New Orleans that killed three people and wounded seven others. Becca Dill has more…
voicer 2 (30) “…Becca Dill”

Union Parish authorities say a Bastrop man drowned in Lake D’Arbonne attempting to retreive his pontoon boat that had blown off its trailer during a thundestorm Sunday afternoon. Authorities say 65-year-old Roddy Watt was found about 100 yards from the launching area.

A state lawmaker admits it was not the legislature’s intention to discontinue sales tax holidays for the next seven years. But Jonesboro Representative Jack McFarland says the state’s three different sales tax holidays went away as result of the budget and funding deal passed in the last special session.
cut 3 (11) “tax holiday”
McFarland says legislation seeking to bring back the sales tax holidays will likely be introduced next year.

Another audit is released critical of how state agencies manage Medicaid dollars. The latest report criticizes the health department and the attorney general’s office for failing to deposit money into a fund to fight Medicaid fraud. Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera says the state also blew 642-thousand dollars in 2012 on software not compatible with their systems…
cut 11 (07) “….use them”
L-D-H says they’ve been correcting a problem that was inherited from the previous administration.

The reward has been increased to 25-thousand dollars for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in Saturday night’s mass shooting that killed three people and wounded seven others in New Orleans. NOPD Superintendent Michael Harrison says they are searching for at least two suspects…
cut 13 (06) ‘…rifle”
Harrison says one of the victims was targeted as a result of gang activity.

Jonesboro Representative Jack McFarland says it was not the legislature’s intention to halt three different sales tax holidays when legislators agreed in the last special session to a tax deal to fully fund state government. McFarland says he wouldn’t be surprised if there was legislation next year to bring them back…
cut 5 (08) “…tax holiday”
As it stands now, the sales tax holidays have been suspended until 2025.

The state legislative auditor has found the Louisiana Health Department and the attorney general’s office previously failed to identify and dposit the required money into a fund to fight Medicaid fraud. Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera says when companies overcharge the state for services, they pay a fine, and return the overpaid amount of money….
cut 10 (10) “…the future”
LDH says under the Edwards administration, steps were immediately taken to correct the problem. And the state agency says fraud-fighting and fraud prevention efforts were never compromised.

According to state Wildlife and Fisheries biologist Michael Seymour the state’s bald eagle population is flourishing with at least 600 nests statewide. In the early 1970s, there were only a handful of nests in the state. Seymour says banning the pesticide DDT was the key as DDT can lead to thin egg shells…
cut 8 (10) “…falcons and osprey”

A state lawmaker admits it was not the legislature’s intention to discontinue sales tax holidays for the next seven years. Jonesboro Representative Jack McFarland says it two weeks after the third special session ended, before legislators learned there would be no sales tax holidays until 2025, as a result of the legislation approved to fully fund state government.

Many consumers would take advantage of the annual sales tax holiday during the first weekend of August to purchase back to school supplies. But McFarland says he’s getting more of a mixed response from businesses…
cut 4 (12) “…his business”

State Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a Mississippi man by a police officer on Saturday in Pineville. Authorities say a Ball police officer attempted to stop 32-year-old Michael Neal for a traffic violation. A pursuit ensued and Neal was shot in Pineville.

A formerly fringe position has taken off as a new Democratic norm in Louisiana…
Voicer 3 (32) “I’m Matt Doyle”

According to the latest LDWF bald eagle nest survey, the population continues to flourish in the state. Once a rare sight, spotting bald eagles in Louisiana are commonplace, as the population in the 1970s was devastated by use of the now-banned pesticide, DDT. L DWF Nongame Bird Biologist Michael Seymoury….
Cut 6 (07) “…in the state.”

Many folks are surprised to see state sales tax holidays have been suspended for the next seven years as a result of the budget and funding deal approved at the end of the last special session. It wasn’t until a few weeks after the session wrapped up that the public found out about the cancellation. Jonesboro Representative Jack McFarland says the decision to end sales tax holidays wasn’t intentional, but…
Cut 3 (11) “tax holiday”

The Louisiana Department of Corrections says they’ve arrested one of their guards at Angola who allegedly hid marijuana in his Subway sandwich. 33-year-old Jeffery Day of Mississippi has resigned from the department is facing criminal charges. Officials say his attempt to smuggle drugs was thwarted during a routine shakedown.

LaPolitics-dot-com publisher Jeremy Alford has learned Baton Rouge businessman and former Democratic Party Chairman Jim Bernhard is considering a possible campain to challenge John Bel Edwards in next year’s governor’s race. Alford says Bernhard has thought about running before, but never pulled the trigger. He says Republican Congressman Ralph Abraham is a better bet to run…
cut 6 (09) “…campaign staffers”
Republican Senator John Kennedy and Attorney General Jeff Landry have also indicated they may run for governor next year.

Rapides Parish deputies have arrested Sherman Lane Nash on animal cruelty charges. Captain Tommy Carnline says they discovered 17 Pit Bull dogs, all chained, on his property in Pineville as part of an alleged dog fighting operation….
cut 12 (07) “…it’s also inhumane”
Nash was released on a 13-thousand dollar bond.

Baton Rouge Businessman Jim Bernhard has contemplated running for statewide office before and according to LaPolitics.com, the former CEO of a Fortune 500 company is considering running for governor again. LaPolitics Publisher Jeremy Alford says that means Governor John Bel Edwards could face a serious challenger from his own party…
cut 5 (09) “…PACs”
Alford says he’s heard Governor Edwards supporters have reached out to Bernhard in an effort to convince him not to run.

A Gallup poll finds that 38-percent of Americans view vaping as harmful to your health. Angel Lopez, tobacco treatment specialist at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital, says e-cigarettes contain nicotine and other chemicals…
cut 8 (08) “….its similiar to COPD”
Lopez also doesn’t see vapor products as a sucessful smoking cessation tool.

Medicare for All may have been a fringe position just two years ago, but an analysis of Louisiana’s 2018 Democratic congressional candidates shows nearly unanimous support for the policy. 3rd district candidate Mimi Methvin, who’s running against Congressman Clay Higgins, says it may take some time to build consensus for a Medicare expansion, because the Affordable Care Act isn’t enough.
Cut 13 (10) “people suffer.”
But political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says Medicare for All maybe popular among certain voters, it won’t translate into major changes when the Democratic candidates attempt to knock off Republican Louisiana Congressman in November….
cut 16 (11) “…is bleak”
Five Republican Congressmen from Louisiana are up for re-election.